Car and air-brake hose-coupling.



PATENTED DEC. 11, 1906.

W. W. GORDON. CAR AND AIR BRAKE HOSE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

anvento'a Mfla r1077 kn ease:

PATENTED DEC. 11, 1906.

W. W. GORDON.

CAR AND AIR BRAKE HOSE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.15, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

23M511 Mow Ni'li E STATES PATENT @FFIOE.

WlLLlAld W. GORDON, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

are. 838,103.

Specification of Letters Patent.

has AND le-Beaks nose-consume.

Patented Dec. 11, 1906.

Application filed August 15, 1906. Serial No. 330,724

I" ncation.

My invention relates to a combined car and air-brake, si naling, and steam hose coupling, and it re ates particularly to a construction of coupling knuckle such as is used in the Janney type of couplings, whereby when two adjacent cars are being coupled together the connection of the adjacent ends of theusualalr-brake signalingand steam hose or pipes w1ll be efiected simultaneously.

- My invention. has primarilyfor its object to provide 'the usual swinging couplingknuckle of a car-coupling of the Janney type with means for establishing connection between the adjacent ends of air-brake hose or pipe, signaling-hose, and steam-hose such as are used in the present railway-car equipment, the said connection being automaticallyestablished during the act of coup ing two cars together, whereby I avoid any necessity of a trainman going between two cars to establish such connection as is at present the case.

A further object is to automatically establish connection between the adjacent ends of wires for carrying electric current so that the cars of-a train may have electric supply for operating fans, supplying lights, or for other "purposes, this automatic connection being eiiected during the act of coupling two cars together. J

A. further object of my invention is to provide a car coupling the. pivoted head of which when the cars are coupled will be latched in position and so maintained effectively, but which head may beunlatched and swung into an angular osition relatively to the draw-bar when it is esired to couple on a curve, and, which willbe automatically latched again as soon as the cars reacha straight section of track.

Qtner oojects'and advanta es of my invention will appear from the following description, when taken in connection-with the ac companying' drawin s; and my invention consists in the nove construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, as hereinfully described, illustrated in the drawings, and pointed out in the appended. claims.

f In the drawings, Figure 1 tea top plan view 1 indicates the head of a car-coupling, I

which in its general structure is similar to the heads of couplings of the J anney type. In

the present instance the said head is cut away or recessed at its rear side" on opposite sides of the draw-bar, as shown. at 2. The head 1 is pivoted to the draw-bar at 3, as usual.

4: indicates a latch having a bent end or nose 5, the said latch being pivoted to the draw-bar, as at 6.

The head 1 is provided in its upper face at the rear with a notch or recess 7, into which the nose of the latch engages when the two cars are coupled together.

When it is desired to couple two cars on a "curve, the latch is raised and the head swung around on its pivot into the desired position, the nose of the latch in the meantime resting upon the upper surface of the head. After the-cars are coupled the nose of the latch will fall by ravity into the recess of the head as soon as the cars come upon'a straight sec tion of track, thus locking the head in position. Y

10 indicates the coupling-knuckle, which in its general structure is similar to the kiiuckles used in the J anney type of carcouplings, said knuckle being shown as pivoted by a bolt 11 to the head 1.

The knuckle is provided with an integral.

downwardlyprojecting portion 12, having a vertical rectangular slot 13, the op osite sides ofthe' portion 12 having paral el inwardly-projecting ribs or 'des l4.

15 indicates a slide-bloc mounted to slide on the ribs 14, and 16 is 'arod which has its ends secured in the knuckle;

The block 15 is provided witha slightl elongated slot 17, through which loose y passes the rod whereby the block can slide upon said rod.

20 represents coiled sprin s mo unted upon the rod at opposite sides of t eblock, the urpose of these springs being to normally old the block at a central point in the ion th of said rod, but being ada ted to yield w en it is necessary for the block to slide in one direc tion or the other, due, for instance, to varia tions the height of the adjacent cars.

IIO

Slidingly mounted on the extension is a plate or block 21, the opposite vertical edges or ends 22 of W: ich enter grooves in the extension. 24 is a rod carried by the block and passing through the block 21.

The outer end of the rod is threaded at 25 and carries anut 26, against which b cars one end of a coiled spring 27, mounted on the rod 24, and the o posits end of said spring hearing against tr e block 1.5. Thefunction of the spring is to always press the block in a direction which will be toward and against the block carried by the adjacent car, which will thus elfect a tight closure or sealing of the ends of the various hose-sections to prevent leakage of fluid from the latter. This arrangement also compensates for any Wear of the parts which in time will occur, and thus preserves always a tight connection of the ends of said hose-sections. The block 15 is provided with three apertures 31 32, into V which lead the ends of the brake, steam, and

signaling-hose of the train, While in the blockis arranged a pin 35, vn'th which connects the end of an electric wire 36, adapted to supply electric current forthe cars oi the train for ocrating fans or for lighting purposes. 'In t e apertures of the block are seated gaskets 49, which project slightly beyond the surface of the lock. These gaskets are adapted to seat tightly against corresponding gaskets carried by the adjacent car, and when the various gaskets of one car are seated tightly against those of the adjacent car the connection between the various hose-sections is complete and no leakage between the gaskets can occur, owing to the stress of the springs 27 forcing the blocks of the adjacent cars toward each other. One face of the block is cut away, as at 42, the recess thus formed being tapered, forming slanting shoulders 43, while joining the recess 42 is a recess 43, into which at the e.- treme end projects the end of the pin 35.

Projecting from the block at a-point about centrally or the Width of the recess 42 at its wider end is a pin to, the function of which is to ride against one or the other of the shoulders 43 when the adjacent couingknucklcs stand one slightly above the the-r and the shoulders dirsctthc pins 46- of the adjacent couplings into the recesses 43 and cause the pins to make contact with the pins Electric wires 43 are also connected with the pins in, as shown, whereby to complete the electr c circuit x nan the parts are in coupled position, as seen in Figs. i and 2.

instead oiemploying the rod 16 and spring 27 forcing the block 15 latcrally any other Ineansm'ay be used. For instance, I. might employ a bowed spring, thc bowed portion of vhich against the block and the ends 0"" said spring carrying rollers which run upon the portion 12. Thus the said bowed spring, which would be secured to the slide-block,

scarce i would artake of the movements of the lair l ter an at the same time exert a stress upon said block to force it laterally.

1. The combination-With a coupling-knuckle, of means carried thereby and constitut- I ing one terminal of an electric connection;

2. The combin atin with a coupling-knuckle, of a .pin carried thereby and an electric conducting- Wire connected with said pin.

3; The combination. with a coupling-knuckle, of a block carried by said knuckle and movable vertically thereon and provided with an aperture for a purpose as set forth.

4. The combination with a coupling-knuckle, of a block carried by said knuckle and movable vertically thereon and provided With a plurality of apertures for the purposes as set forth Y l l l I 5. The combination with a coupling-knuckle, of a block carried by said knuckle and. movable vertically and transversely relatively to said knuckle, and provided with an aperture for a purpose as set forth.

' 6. The combination with a coupling-knucklc having a slotted downwardlyrojecting portion, the op osite walls of which form guides, ofla bloc mounted and adapted to slide uuon' said guides, and having an aperture a apted to receive one end of a hosesection, and also having an elongated aperture, a rod carried by the knuckle and passing through the elongated aperture of the block, coiled springs mounted. upon the rod at opposite sides of the block and bearing against the latter, a second block slidingly mounted on the said projecting portion of the knuckle and having an aperture, a rod carried by the latter block, a nut adjustable upon the latter rod, and a coiled spring on the said rod hearing at one end on the nut and at the opposite end upon the first-mentioned block.

7. A coupling-knuckle and a slide-block carried thereby and movable vertically and laterally rblatively thereto, saidslide-block having apertures adapted to receive the ends of hose-sections.

8 A coupling-knuckle, a slide-block carried thereby and movable vertically and latorally "relatively thereto, and having apertures to receive the ends of hose-sections, and gaskets seated in said apertures and projecting beyond the face of the slide-block.

9. A coupling-knuckle and a slide-block carried thereby and movable vertically and laterally relatively thereto and means for yieldingly pressing said block laterally.

"1D. A coupling-knuckle and a slide-block movable relatively to said knuckle, said poses set forth, in combination with a coup.-

being cutaway as at. 2, a draw-bar to which block having apertures therein for the pi1rmovable relative movable relative laterally and means arranged above and below the slide-block and acting thereon to normally maintain the same against vertical movement.

12. A couplin knuckle and a slide-block to said knuckle, said slideblock being provlded with a tapering recess and a pin projecting from said block and'arranged at the wider end of the recess.

13. A coupli -knuckle and a slide-block y to said knuckle, said slide block being provided with a tapering recess and a second recess joining the first, a pin projecting from said block and arranged at the wider end of the ta ering recess, said slide-block being provided with apertures to slide-block slide-block.

receive the ends of air-brake, steam hose-sections and an electric conductor all as described.

14. A coupling-knuckle having an extension, a rod secured thereto, a slide-block loosely mounted upon said rod and provided with apertures as described and coiled springs mounted upon said rod and bearing upon the 15. A coupling-knuckle having an extension, a rod carried by said extension, a slide block having a slot through which said rod loosely passes, coiled springs upon said rod atopposite sides of the slide-block and bearing upon the latter, and a sp arranged to press said block laterally, sa i d block having apertures as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM W. GORDON.

my signature Witnesses:

CARRIE M. BOULTER, W. EQBOULTER.

signaling aid- 

